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8 seek appointment to replace Judge Casey Moreland

The Metro Council is tasked with choosing between one of its own and seven other attorneys in the special appointment to replace recently resigned Davidson County General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland.

8 seek appointment to replace Judge Casey Moreland

Metro District 32 council member Sam Coleman, left, folds his hands in prayer for Nashville's flood recovery efforts during the invocation at the council meeting on May 18, 2010.(Photo: Shelley Mays / File / The Tennessean)Buy Photo

The Metro Council is tasked with choosing between one of its own and seven other attorneys in the special appointment to replace recently resigned Davidson County General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland.

The deadline to submit nominations for the vacant judgeship — which opened after Moreland resigned this month amid an FBI investigation into corruption — passed Tuesday.

Antioch-area Councilman Sam Coleman, among eight attorneys vying for the position, is in the unique position of relying on council colleagues for votes. Elected to his current seat in 2015, Coleman served a previous stint on the council from 2003 to 2011.

The council will vote at its May 16 meeting on an individual to replace Moreland, who was last re-elected in 2014. Ahead of the vote, nominees will be interviewed at the council's Rules, Confirmations and Public Elections Committee on May 2.

Moreland's replacement will serve as an interim until next year. The Democratic and Republican primary elections for a full term for Moreland’s seat will take place in May 2018, followed by a general election in August 2018. Moreland's next election wasn't scheduled to take place until 2022.

Nashville has 11 General Sessions judges, who each earn $170,000 annually and handle misdemeanor criminal cases and minor civil lawsuits. Moreland, a judge since 1998, handled only criminal cases.

Michael Clemons

Clemons is a partner at Clemmons & Clemons PLLC, the law firm also founded by Tennessee Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville. According to the firm’s website, Clemons practices civil litigation and has experience in jury and non-jury litigation. He’s represented clients on civil rights, banking, business and contract disputes, employment law, medical malpractice and personal injury. Clemons is a native of Lebanon and has practiced law since 2005. He previously worked at Blackburn & McCune PLLC and Chaffin & Burnsed PLLC in Nashville.

Councilman Sam Coleman(Photo: Submitted)

Sam Coleman

Coleman, chairman of the council’s Codes, Fair and Farmer’s Market Committee, is in the first term of his second stint on the council. He represents District 33. He ran in the past unsuccessfully as a Democrat for state representative and was passed up for Davidson County clerk in 2012 after the resignation of John Arriola. Democrats instead nominated Brenda Wynn, who was then appointed by the council.

In his legal career, Coleman last year represented former Councilman Loniel Greene Jr. during the latter’s legal troubles. Coleman said he would bring experience as an attorney in General Sessions Court and in public service to the job.

Adam Dread(Photo: Submitted)

Adam Dread

Dread, a partner at Durham and Dread PLC, served on the Metro Council from 2002 to 2007. He said about half his cases are in General Sessions Court. He lost as a Republican for General Sessions judge in 2014 to Democrat Lynda Jones. He had tried to run as a Democrat, but the Davidson County Democratic Party's Executive Committee questioned his party credentials and blocked him from running in the party’s primary.

Dread, a former radio talk show host and comedian, said the more than 25,000 votes he received in the 2014 election should be looked at as endorsements for the position. He’s also served on the Drug Court Foundation. Dread has said he would not intend to seek the election to the judgeship in 2018 if appointed by the council. He said he wants to “get things back in order” and then leave the bench.

Ana Escobar(Photo: Submitted)

Ana Escobar

Escobar is an assistant prosecutor at the District Attorney’s Office, where she heads the DA’s domestic violence unit. She previously worked as deputy director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, from 2013 to 2015, and as the Metro clerk, from 2011 to 2013.

Before these positions, Escobar held stints as a defense attorney at Escobar Law Group, where she was a principal; a contract attorney at Nashville-based Neal and Harwell PLC; and as a public defender. She also was a criminal defense attorney at the law firm previously led by District Attorney Glenn Funk. If appointed, Escobar would be the first Hispanic and immigrant judge in Nashville — a feat that Escobar said would be “tremendous” for the city.

Barry Gearon(Photo: Submitted)

Barry Gearon

Gearon, who heads Gearon Law, works in criminal and civil law, according to his firm’s website. He’s practiced in all General Sessions courts.

Before going into private practice, he served as a law clerk and court officer for Judge Dan Eisenstein.

His firm focuses on criminal law, family law, personal injury and immigration law. Gearon did not immediately return a message from The Tennessean seeking comment.

Martesha Johnson(Photo: Submitted)

Martesha Johnson

Johnson, a Nashville native and graduate of Tennessee State University, has worked in the Davidson County Public Defender's Office for more than eight years.

She said she’s "not a politician" but is instead seeking the judgeship because she's passionate about criminal justice for all people.

Johnson teaches classes at Vanderbilt University Law School and Vol State Community College, according to her website.

Nick McGregor(Photo: Submitted)

Nick McGregor

McGregor, a criminal defense attorney at the Law Office of Nick McGregor, has represented defendants in more than 1,500 cases since 2012, according to his resume. He’s advocated in 20 felony jury trials during that time and assisted defendants with the Drug Court and Mental Health Court. He said that experience has allowed him to “fully understand the expectations of our city’s judges.” In 2015, McGregor filed papers to run in the election for Metro Council District 24, won by Kathleen Murphy, but he pulled his papers and did not appear on the ballot.

Tillman Payne(Photo: Submitted)

Tillman Payne

Payne has practiced family law, personal injury and criminal law in the Nashville area for more than 10 years. Payne said he previously worked as an attorney in the military before working as a public defender in Wilson County. He opened a private practice in 2009 that has offices in Nashville and Carthage. He said he's been in a lot of different General Sessions courts and that he would bring a "fresh and positive" perspective to the bench.